State Schools Chief Tom Torlakson nominates four "green schools" and one district to represent California in the second annual national Green Ribbon Schools Award Program. Read about the inspiring nominees.

Read about the benefits of healthy indoor environments for student attendance and achievement. Also review data for your state about the quality of school buildings, asthma rates, and more. Take action and sign a letter to Congress to restore funding for EPA Healthy Schools programs.

Intern Clara MacLeod interviewed Sarah Delaney, SFUSD's ecoliteracy content specialist, about how the district is forging ahead with outdoor education, professional development, field trips, and the connections to broader green school initiatives.

Clovis Unified School District is installing solar panels that will eventually generate ~5.86 megawatts of electricity, lowering its $7 million annual electric bills by $2.3 million, and freeing up money for instructional programs. Read the Fresno Bee article.

In 2012, Green Schools Initiative helped more schools "go green" and worked to promote policies and programs at the state and national level that will accelerate the transformation of K-12 schools into healthy, sustainable learning environments that engage kids in hands-on learning about the world around them.